Posted: Sun, Jan 7, 2018, 9:08 AM ET (1408 GMT)
China has ambitious launch plans for 2018 that could result in shattering the country's record for the the most launches in a year. At a conference Tuesday, the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation announced its "work model" for 2018 called for 35 launches in the year, including two launches to support the Chang'e-4 mission to land on the far side of the moon and the return to flight of the heavy-lift Long March 5 rocket. Launches planned by private Chinese ventures not included in that assessment could bring the total number of launches to more than 40. China carried out 18 launches in 2017, and its record for the most launches in a year is 22, set in 2016.